Anti-crib-biting device for horses



(No Model.) 2 sheets-Sheet 1.

A. LYNCH. ANTI GRIBBITING DEVICE FOR HORSES. No. 453,932. Patented June 9, 1891.

6 WW a UNITED STATES i PATENT OFFICE;v

ANTHONY LYNCH, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ANTI-CRlB-BITING DEVICE FOR HORSES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 453,932, dated June 9, 1891.

Application filed March 11, 1891.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ANTHONY LYNCH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Anti-Orib-Biting Devices for Horses, of which the followingis a specification.

The object of my invention is to prevent a horse from cribbing or biting his stall and from suckin wind the device used for the purpose being also applicable as a muzzle to biting horses.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view of the device applied to a horse. Fig. 2 is a detached perspective view of the device on a larger scale. Fig. 3 is a sectional View; and Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are views illustrating dilferent forms of the device.

Ais a band extending around the nose back of the nostrils and passing through the mouth from side to side, as shown in Fig. 1. To this band is attached at b, in the present instance, a band B, which extends down between the nostrils into the horses mouth at the front, and is attached at the back to the band A at 0, either by rivets or sewing.

On each side of that portion of the bandB which is within the mouth are metallic plates D and E, riveted together and to the band at d. These plates D and E preferably extend back and are secured to the band A,and they extend forward beyond the line of the upper and lower front teeth of the horse. Small plates may be used extending backward only to the point shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, and in some cases an adjustable plate may be used. For instance, the plate may be in the form of a band extending around the band B, as shown in Fig. 4.

F F are straps having buckles, snap-hooks, or other fastenings ff, these straps being secured to the band Aat e e, and being intended for the purpose of attaching the device to the halter-ring c or other convenient part of the harness.

G is a strap attached to the band A at c and having a buckle or other fastening g, this strap passing under the lower jaw of the horse, so that when the straps F and G are adjusted they secure the device in the proper posit-ion in the horses mouth and prevent Serial No. 384,583. (No model.)

the detaching of the device, the plates D and E being always between the front teeth. Thus it will be seen that the horse cannot bite his crib or other parts of the stall, and when the device is applied to a biting horse it is not as unsightly as the muzzles now in use.

One of the important features of this invention is that the portion extending into the mouth separates the teeth of the horse and prevents cribbing, while at the same time it does not prevent the horse from taking a natural breath, thus curing a horse of the habit of sucking wind and preventing colic.

The device can be readily removed at feeding time, as only one side need be detached, and the device suspended from the other side of the halter or bridle.

As shown in Fig. 5, an extension H preferably of leather, passes under the plate in the mouth, thus protecting the tongue of the animal from the metal plate. This extension can pass beyond the line of the teeth, so that the under teeth will rest upon it, or it can stop short of the teeth.

In Fig. 6 I have shown the band B in the form of a tongue extending from the back of the mouth forward beyond the line of teeth, the main ideaof the invention being the placing of a dividing plate or tongue in the mouth of the animal between the teeth of the upper and lower jaws, so as to not only separate the teeth, but to prevent the animal from biting, as it cannot then use both rows of teeth. Other means than those shown in the drawings of connecting this tongue or plate to the muzzle of the horse will readily suggest themselves.

As shown in Fig. 3, I use a fillingplate B of leather or other material between the plate D and band B, and this filling can be increased either by inserting pieces between the plates D and E or between the tongue II and the band.

When an adjustable plate is used, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, I can make it fit snugly on the band B, so as to retain its position, or can rivet it to the band after adjusting it to the mouth of the particular horse for which it is intended.

The bands A and 13,1 prefer to make of leather and the plates of sheet metalybut they may be made of any suitable material, and I can make the band B detachable from the band A, as shown in Fig. 4..

It will be understood that the device can be applied to other animals than horses without departing from my invention.

I claim as my invention- 1. A device for preventing an animal from crib-biting, said device having a tongue projecting into the mouth of the animal between the teeth of the upper and lower jaws, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a band extending around the nose of the horse and into the mouth at the rear, with a band extending over the nose between the nostrils and into the front of the mouth between the front teeth and attached to the rear band at the back of the mouth, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the rear band with the front band B, attached to the rear band A at its ends, and a plate on the front band in line with the front teeth when the device is applied to the mouth of the animal, substantially as described.

4:. The combination of the rear band and the front band, both extending into the mouth of the horse, straps by which the device is secured to the halter, and a strap passing under the lower jaw of the animal, substantially as described.

5. The combination of the rear band, the front band, devices for securing the bands to the halter, and plates on each side of the front band and in line with the front teeth of the animal, substantially as specified.

6. The combination of the front and rear bands secured together, with plates on each side of the front band in line with the teeth of the horse, and a tongue-piece below the band, substantially as described.

7. The combination of the front and rear bands, the straps for securing the bands to the harness, with filling-pieces for increasing the thickness of the front band at the point where it crosses the line of the front teeth of the horse, so as to open or close the month more or less, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ANTHONY LYNCH.

Witnesses:

HENRY HowsoN, HARRY SMITH. 

